1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to compositions of matter which exhibit ferroelectric properties and to products produced therefrom. More particularly, the present invention pertains to processes for the manufacture of certain compositions of matter which exhibit ferroelectric properties and to processes for the manufacture of articles therefrom. Even more particularly, the present invention concerns a process for the manufacture of a stable Phase III potassium nitrate and article prepared therefrom.
2. Prior Art
There has heretofore been developed a plurality of proprietary compositions which exhibit light transmission phenomena, i.e., are capable of polarizing light, and which are deployed in the manufacture of transparent electrodes and the like. The electrodes are, generally, indium oxide and tin oxide based compositions which serve as means for electrically contacting the polarizing crystal while still permitting light to pass. However, none of these compounds exhibit ferroelectric properties, in the sense of being useful in the manufacture of thin film memory devices.
On the other hand there has been developed a plurality of thin film memory device compositions, e.g. barium titanate, lead zerconate compounds which, although, they can be deployed as an optical or light polarizing medium, suffer certain inherent drawbacks.
Generally, these compounds are grown crystals which must be processed down to about a ten mils thickness and, therefore, are not suitable for batch process manufacture. Moreover, the prior art devices require a high voltage to polarize the light passing through them. Furthermore, the switching or polarizing response time is fairly slow.
It has been found, as detailed subsequently, that thin films of stable Phase III potassium nitrate exhibit both such properties.
Thus, the present invention provides a composition which is ferroelectric and which exhibits such light transferring phenomena.